A Tradesmans rant

Oldernotwiser

andyhop wrote: »

I have all including a insurance backed warranty for my installations

Not all tradesman rip folk off,some of us like to come onto a money saving website and give FREE advice in the LITTLE SPARE TIME we have:beer:

Many of us come here in our spare time and offer advice on our professional area, not just tradespeople!

I don't think you realise the amount of bad feeling many people in this country have regarding employing someone in your situation. People who don't return calls, who don't turn up to do a quote or don't send one in once they've been. That's not including poor workmanship, bad timekeeping, losing interest in the job and disappearing in the middle of it. You may well not do those things but, in my experience of employing tradesmen, the good ones are in the minority.

sodamnfunky

shandypants5 wrote: »

But it is cutting their own profit.

They are self employed to make something of themselves (I wish I had the courage).

If they wanted to work for minimum wage then maybe they all should all get jobs at Mcdonalds.
Then you would have to pay a "proper" company to fix your boiler or mend your roof.

There is a recession, and the sooner people in the building trade realise this, and stop being so greedy the better. In a recession, there profit will be lower as there is less work, and more available to do it, so they need to look at what they charge.
It's the same in big business, everything seems to be looked at short term. Over the long term things are different and even out.

thechippy

sodamnfunky wrote: »

My day is 8 hours, and for that I work hard, and compared to alot of people I see in the trade, I work around an hour a day more than they do. If I need materials, I organise myself to get them before I say I will arrive at the job.

I must be doing something extremely right, as I have not needed to advertise in the past 6 months. I am regularly told by my clients that I am not like most in the trade.

I do 8 hours on site full stop. I don't even stop for lunch. If the client makes me a coffee, I drink it while I'm working, I don't stop. I have not advertised for five years.

sodamnfunky

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Many of us come here in our spare time and offer advice on our professional area, not just tradespeople!

I don't think you realise the amount of bad feeling many people in this country have regarding employing someone in your situation. People who don't return calls, who don't turn up to do a quote or don't send one in once they've been. That's not including poor workmanship, bad timekeeping, losing interest in the job and disappearing in the middle of it. You may well not do those things but, in my experience of employing tradesmen, the good ones are in the minority.

Everything you have wrote there, is exactly why I work the way I do. I get so annoyed when I arrange an Electrician/Plumber/Plaster to do some work for me, and do they turn up when they say- Hardly ever.

Tradesmen have a bad reputation and in most cases its justified. If I had a pound for everytime I am asked 'You will turn up' I would e a very rich man

sodamnfunky

thechippy wrote: »

I do 8 hours on site full stop. I don't even stop for lunch. If the client makes me a coffee, I drink it while I'm working, I don't stop. I have not advertised for five years.

I don't stop for lunch, I eat as I go,and if made tea, I drink it as I go.

thechippy

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Many of us come here in our spare time and offer advice on our professional area, not just tradespeople!

I don't think you realise the amount of bad feeling many people in this country have regarding employing someone in your situation. People who don't return calls, who don't turn up to do a quote or don't send one in once they've been. That's not including poor workmanship, bad timekeeping, losing interest in the job and disappearing in the middle of it. You may well not do those things but, in my experience of employing tradesmen, the good ones are in the minority.

You are quite correct, the good ones are a minority. Professional people charge professional rates - what's wrong with that?

diable

sturll wrote: »

Most may have gone home where you live, but where i live they flourish.

To be honest i can't do with the Poles, i cant really do with any immigrant taking up the jobs of British. That said, if decent tradesmen like yourself hadn't been bumming the public for years then we would have loyalty to British tradesmen. As it is its whoever gives the best quote gets the job. Often it's the foreigner.
But you have no one to blame but yourselves.

Bit of a racist comment what you just made, we are all in the EU and have rights the same as British workers working in Germany in the 80's and if the British hadn't screwed over the Poles after the war they you wouldn't have this problem.

A lot of Poles died for this country and as I can see the typical Brit is so up his own !!!!. Oh and I am the child of Polish immigrants who did their bit for this country and am sick of all the negative comments.

andyhop

sodamnfunky wrote: »

What utter b0llocks.
The right tools are needed for the job, but they do not have to be Dewalt or for that matter an expensive brand, granted B&Q, Wickes etc's own brand are next to no good, but this whole industry thing that the big brand names are the best is rubbish. I know lots of so called Carpenters, who have all got Dewalt tools, and they cannot even get a door to swing properly, and ask them to create a piece of furniture, you would be better off asking them to perform brain surgery.

8k on advertising??? Van sign writing?- Magnetic signs from Vistaprint, cost me £14 for 4. Best £14 I spent.

Website- Build it yourself. I make a decent living, and always show a profit.

I have not cut timber by hand for years, unless I am faced with timber too big to use a chop saw.

The comments on here are typical of the narrow mind's of most in the building trade. It is no wonder there is a such a stigma attached to the industry.
We are in recession, therefore we have to look at our charges, but then I have seen this coming for a few years.

You are missing the point,I put any profit back into the business,I see this as a investment into my future for myself and my family.Yes you could have the best of tools and still not be able to do a good job,But in the last 10 years i have never had a trade tool such as dewalt,Rubi etc fail and let me down

Your £14 van signs will look very proffesional,Why did i waste £1500 getting my van fully wrapped in eye catching vinyl....As a investment to my future.

How i portray myself is important to me and my business,hence why i am willing to spend ££££on works vehicles,plant/tools,advertising and appearance afterall 1st impressions count

Oldernotwiser

sodamnfunky wrote: »

Tradesmen have a bad reputation and in most cases its justified. If I had a pound for everytime I am asked 'You will turn up' I would e a very rich man

When I used to be a Careers Adviser in schools I'd see lots of young people who wanted to get a trade and eventually work for themselves. When asked why, the usual reason given was that, if they were working for themselves, they didn't have to go to work if they didn't want to, they could stay in bed or go out if they preferred.

Many of these kids will now be qualified tradespeople; I always think of them when yet another tradesperson doesn't turn up when expected!

Oldernotwiser

andyhop wrote: »

As a investment to my future.

How i portray myself is important to me and my business,hence why i am willing to spend ££££on works vehicles,plant/tools,advertising and appearance afterall 1st impressions count

Unfortunately it's your customers who are investing in your business if you charge them higher rates to pay for all this!